One Teen’s Heart-Wrenching Struggle Post-Concussion
Seventeen-year-old Avery Crowe, a student at Hebron High School, was an ambitious Division 1 club soccer player when she had a head-on collision with another player during an important game that college scouts were observing. Eager to impress the scouts and help her team win, Avery pushed through her injury and kept playing, hitting the ball with her head 10 to 15 more times during the match. It wasn’t until later that her parents discovered she had suffered a concussion that would change their lives forever. Avery tells her story below.
“I go to bed every night wondering if I’ll wake up forgetting everything. It’s terrifying. I can’t control it, and I don’t know when it’s going to happen. It pains the people around me. Why does this happen? How? A year and a half later and still no answers. I’ve become a pro at covering my pain and emotions. I’m just trying to be a normal 17-year-old.”
A year and a half ago, I sustained a serious concussion that I’m still grappling with today. I’ve been diagnosed with retrograde amnesia, persistent headaches, double vision, visual impairment, and both vestibular and cognitive damage. One of my main challenges is memory loss; for instance, I forgot my boyfriend months into our relationship and didn’t recognize him. Thankfully, he patiently supported me and helped me fall in love with him all over again. In school, history is particularly difficult since it revolves around remembering facts. I have several accommodations to assist me, such as having my tests read aloud to me about a week later, which allows me more time to study. This is beneficial because I start experiencing double vision when I read for more than 45 minutes to an hour. I’ve also received prism glasses to help my eyes focus better on the text. My biggest hurdle throughout all of this is the continuous pain. I experience severe headaches day and night and have tried nearly every over-the-counter pain reliever without finding relief.
Nevertheless, I feel incredibly fortunate to have the unwavering support of my family, friends, teachers, and doctors. I believe this happened to me for a purpose. Even though my schedule can include daily doctor appointments, I hold onto the hope that things will improve. I recognize that I can’t dictate what occurs and must not live in fear; otherwise, I risk missing out on creating new memories that I hope to cherish.
